tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53562355119414770352017-08-18T00:36:49.519-04:00Two Bears Farm and the Three CubsLisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.comBlogger1796125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-65719947502058839392017-08-16T05:13:00.000-04:002017-08-16T05:13:28.577-04:00Oracle, Arizona and Biosphere 2While we were in Arizona, we took a trip to Oracle.&nbsp; There, we toured an historic ranch house at the Oracle state park.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mBOgWaWkTNk/WWac6r8fRoI/AAAAAAAAPok/ZFNzpcBPf40gvioxdCXlEoUxBhpPxNLzgCLcBGAs/s1600/oracle3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1468" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mBOgWaWkTNk/WWac6r8fRoI/AAAAAAAAPok/ZFNzpcBPf40gvioxdCXlEoUxBhpPxNLzgCLcBGAs/s640/oracle3.jpg" width="586" /></a></div>The boys enjoyed seeing the big ice box used by the original family.&nbsp; I liked some of the paintings and decorative details.&nbsp; <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3lGxPUBmlNQ/WWab339cuaI/AAAAAAAAPoE/keqa_D52VEETZyr5H6yvJeGQw8TwVunSQCLcBGAs/s1600/oracle1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3lGxPUBmlNQ/WWab339cuaI/AAAAAAAAPoE/keqa_D52VEETZyr5H6yvJeGQw8TwVunSQCLcBGAs/s640/oracle1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Here, the boys are attempting to match the skull to the animal track.&nbsp; They did a fairly good job.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y1EGre3n40A/WWab3r7SK_I/AAAAAAAAPn8/aB8nroCaAloeSenHLgwLKZZhuJhbBHaNgCLcBGAs/s1600/oracle2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y1EGre3n40A/WWab3r7SK_I/AAAAAAAAPn8/aB8nroCaAloeSenHLgwLKZZhuJhbBHaNgCLcBGAs/s640/oracle2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Branding irons, hanging on a wall.&nbsp; I knew what they were immediately, due to all the time I spent in Texas riding horses on a ranch.&nbsp; <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;</div>After our tour, we headed to Biosphere 2.&nbsp; This facility was a closed experiment where a group of eight scientists attempted to live self-sufficiently for 2 years.&nbsp; They did make it 2 years, but air quality was compromised, and they lost significant weight because the food they grew had to be rationed so much.&nbsp; <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XjhiGcaQPiQ/WWacvJN-goI/AAAAAAAAPoQ/qJ6GMHq50roEi_JQi3IAKDI-tFyHoxKwACLcBGAs/s1600/bio1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XjhiGcaQPiQ/WWacvJN-goI/AAAAAAAAPoQ/qJ6GMHq50roEi_JQi3IAKDI-tFyHoxKwACLcBGAs/s640/bio1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>&nbsp;Impressive, isn't it?&nbsp; Perhaps you remember the mid 90s movie Bio-Dome, with Pauly Shore?&nbsp; I watched it in college.&nbsp; It was one of those intentionally stupid movies that were a hit with college kids.&nbsp; It was certainly based on this experiment (sadly, they were not playing Safety Dance on repeat inside).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fyo-CgSwjyU/WWacvGvf4wI/AAAAAAAAPoM/mxTwchzWQOsroJx2wBTrVPgJuw2CjwJwQCLcBGAs/s1600/bio2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fyo-CgSwjyU/WWacvGvf4wI/AAAAAAAAPoM/mxTwchzWQOsroJx2wBTrVPgJuw2CjwJwQCLcBGAs/s640/bio2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>During our tour, we learned that their coffee bean plant only grew enough beans to brew each of them one cup of coffee once every two weeks.&nbsp; Rough, huh?&nbsp; It does make you think about the limited resources on earth and how the future might have to adapt.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k_malm_El2U/WWacvKJhZwI/AAAAAAAAPoU/cxzKqQ6Vgr4Cj-redFQsQMCjK0-YSMBUgCLcBGAs/s1600/bio3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k_malm_El2U/WWacvKJhZwI/AAAAAAAAPoU/cxzKqQ6Vgr4Cj-redFQsQMCjK0-YSMBUgCLcBGAs/s640/bio3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>They tried to create different ecosystems inside.&nbsp; This is a picture of the ocean, which has waves, but they sound kind of mechanical.&nbsp; <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V8B69YjIbvI/WWacvteAQ0I/AAAAAAAAPoY/NXS7KFGvptoSQlamNCSJKSzXNJQ0wgJfwCLcBGAs/s1600/bio4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V8B69YjIbvI/WWacvteAQ0I/AAAAAAAAPoY/NXS7KFGvptoSQlamNCSJKSzXNJQ0wgJfwCLcBGAs/s640/bio4.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>Today, since this is open to the public, it is no longer a closed system.&nbsp; However, they still do much scientific research here.&nbsp; The picture above is from the rainforest section.&nbsp; When the scientists were locked in, it had animals like monkeys and lizards.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi-yflUlSeo/WWacvppSyBI/AAAAAAAAPoc/oc3g8dNlodQyJJy_ubpQFnlcFal7uCJoACLcBGAs/s1600/bio5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi-yflUlSeo/WWacvppSyBI/AAAAAAAAPoc/oc3g8dNlodQyJJy_ubpQFnlcFal7uCJoACLcBGAs/s640/bio5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Going down through the basement was eye opening.&nbsp; The pictures I took didn't come out that well, but one of the strangest parts to the structure is a huge lung to expel air, should pressure build up too much.&nbsp; <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CoxO1EwoasY/WWacv7lP9DI/AAAAAAAAPog/8YVDfEw3r7sr4DTi3fi5WkidUnCaieO5wCLcBGAs/s1600/bio7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CoxO1EwoasY/WWacv7lP9DI/AAAAAAAAPog/8YVDfEw3r7sr4DTi3fi5WkidUnCaieO5wCLcBGAs/s640/bio7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally, you can see a rain barrel system they have set up.&nbsp; This was in the desert section of the structure.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The tour was lengthy (90 minutes - long especially for little boys) but I did find it informative and thought-provoking.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Me, personally?&nbsp; I felt a little stir crazy in there.&nbsp; I like having access to the outdoors!&nbsp; But I'm glad I got to see it.﻿</div>Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-51082051124970627982017-08-09T05:31:00.000-04:002017-08-09T05:31:11.622-04:00Hiking Catalina State Park, ArizonaMy in-laws live within a couple of miles of Catalina State Park in Arizona.&nbsp; One morning we got up very early for a hike there.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8m0YeFUTaBM/WWZbuF5uqUI/AAAAAAAAPnc/Raj6X4xSdYc9AS51VSM1vPMOVIWf2TCrwCLcBGAs/s1600/1i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8m0YeFUTaBM/WWZbuF5uqUI/AAAAAAAAPnc/Raj6X4xSdYc9AS51VSM1vPMOVIWf2TCrwCLcBGAs/s640/1i.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>&nbsp;Yet again, I was stunned by the beauty.&nbsp; I don't think I would ever grow tired of these amazing desert landscapes.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1vH5F5baTi0/WWZbuDRENlI/AAAAAAAAPnY/AOYom4hxdacnwqO1xiIhFg52SR0iif8fgCLcBGAs/s1600/1j.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1vH5F5baTi0/WWZbuDRENlI/AAAAAAAAPnY/AOYom4hxdacnwqO1xiIhFg52SR0iif8fgCLcBGAs/s640/1j.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>&nbsp;It was very hot, even though we got going early.&nbsp; Pierce seemed to struggle the most in the heat.&nbsp; He couldn't believe how hot it was!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DiNwBIMVwcg/WWZbuUzcosI/AAAAAAAAPng/PgrhU05ZWtws7H2nwEhE7VVWagte3YuZgCLcBGAs/s1600/1k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DiNwBIMVwcg/WWZbuUzcosI/AAAAAAAAPng/PgrhU05ZWtws7H2nwEhE7VVWagte3YuZgCLcBGAs/s640/1k.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>&nbsp;Paul invested in a new sun hat, having run over this other one with the tractor by accident.&nbsp; He was overdue for a new one.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kJB_61TX-BM/WWZbulQU0RI/AAAAAAAAPnk/H_0lAEW7OPM1b31tT8k-2WTIXOYGUF6WACLcBGAs/s1600/1l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="1600" height="386" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kJB_61TX-BM/WWZbulQU0RI/AAAAAAAAPnk/H_0lAEW7OPM1b31tT8k-2WTIXOYGUF6WACLcBGAs/s640/1l.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>&nbsp;Reid and Grandpa Bob take a rest and enjoy the overlook after hiking up a bit of a grade.<br />&nbsp; <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rb1ztuP0zhY/WWZbuopt2BI/AAAAAAAAPno/7CQPHfFRkCArQ0wnYvOMYGfyVbAyxkhDwCLcBGAs/s1600/1m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1036" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rb1ztuP0zhY/WWZbuopt2BI/AAAAAAAAPno/7CQPHfFRkCArQ0wnYvOMYGfyVbAyxkhDwCLcBGAs/s640/1m.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;</div>&nbsp;Here the boys come up another long grade.&nbsp; We didn't see as much nature on this hike as the one in Honeybee canyon, but it was also hotter on this day.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Hg0MQynQiA/WWZbu4_M8uI/AAAAAAAAPns/o9DeE0N7mLoPxwEGmrf5US8zfCGDtsfWQCLcBGAs/s1600/1n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Hg0MQynQiA/WWZbu4_M8uI/AAAAAAAAPns/o9DeE0N7mLoPxwEGmrf5US8zfCGDtsfWQCLcBGAs/s640/1n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Another amazing overlook!&nbsp; We took along plenty of water, so everyone made it through our hike just fine!&nbsp; From there, we headed out for some more fun adventures, so stay tuned for next week.Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-91329138612915895562017-08-02T05:42:00.000-04:002017-08-02T05:42:04.926-04:00Birding in TucsonI don't pretend to be a birder, but I do love watching the birds and listening to their songs.&nbsp; When we were in Tucson, I was continually amazed by the thriving bird population.&nbsp; By far, my favorite was seeing a Great Horned owl family when hiking in Honeybee canyon.&nbsp; I adore owls!&nbsp; Here is a picture of one of the adults.&nbsp; The baby was perched up on a rock, and I only had my cell so I could not zoom in to capture it.&nbsp; Still, so wonderful to see.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nt-EUNzs-e4/WWZPz_jr5HI/AAAAAAAAPm4/YHwA8xhET5E_qUBO1VhEbaNWH3ubKW3SwCLcBGAs/s1600/bird2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1299" data-original-width="770" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nt-EUNzs-e4/WWZPz_jr5HI/AAAAAAAAPm4/YHwA8xhET5E_qUBO1VhEbaNWH3ubKW3SwCLcBGAs/s640/bird2.jpg" width="378" /></a></div><br />A palm tree in my in-laws' yard was hosting this mother dove with her two babies.&nbsp; Aren't they beautiful?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NPZnE8UFWHI/WWZQBxkSv_I/AAAAAAAAPm8/9FueHio-jIMf64ic-wlz3DUyD4exBKpxQCLcBGAs/s1600/bird5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NPZnE8UFWHI/WWZQBxkSv_I/AAAAAAAAPm8/9FueHio-jIMf64ic-wlz3DUyD4exBKpxQCLcBGAs/s640/bird5.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>On our hikes, I loved seeing all the birds living in holes in the saguaro cacti.&nbsp; Here, a crow sits up top.&nbsp; He has quite the view.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P2dHtUQ2h1g/WWZQOO2OvmI/AAAAAAAAPnA/TIHErUdlA0Yi9Am6vI44oPsGTyM0olqVQCLcBGAs/s1600/bird7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1008" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P2dHtUQ2h1g/WWZQOO2OvmI/AAAAAAAAPnA/TIHErUdlA0Yi9Am6vI44oPsGTyM0olqVQCLcBGAs/s640/bird7.jpg" width="402" /></a></div>We also saw tons of roadrunners, but they were much too speedy for my cell phone.&nbsp; I did catch this one on cell phone at the Arizona Sonora desert museum (more about that in a later post):<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QaBFfJc8jzY/WWZQf_IPk4I/AAAAAAAAPnE/QVZyTWxjPFk4TJfd-P-0rzBqKFaiDptIQCLcBGAs/s1600/bird8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QaBFfJc8jzY/WWZQf_IPk4I/AAAAAAAAPnE/QVZyTWxjPFk4TJfd-P-0rzBqKFaiDptIQCLcBGAs/s640/bird8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Finally, the quail families!&nbsp; Oh they were everywhere and so cute!&nbsp; One day, there was a bunch of distressed peeping coming from down in a storm drain in front of my in-laws' home.&nbsp; We put down a ramp, but they didn't use it, and there were no parents to be seen.&nbsp; So I got down in there.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NFXPVHB7Duo/WWZQ-C0qU0I/AAAAAAAAPnI/pyy7CnJlIvg1aG9zEDpJzhIIKscUpoH3ACLcBGAs/s1600/bird1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="1277" height="370" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NFXPVHB7Duo/WWZQ-C0qU0I/AAAAAAAAPnI/pyy7CnJlIvg1aG9zEDpJzhIIKscUpoH3ACLcBGAs/s640/bird1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>&nbsp;I used a pool skimming net to try to catch the baby quail.&nbsp; I managed to pull up three before they took off down the drain pipe too far for intervention.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ajbaxrTYVE4/WWZRBWjuisI/AAAAAAAAPnM/74wlmIKmzJo_9tovq-o2K07BJg2IDIqqwCLcBGAs/s1600/bird3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ajbaxrTYVE4/WWZRBWjuisI/AAAAAAAAPnM/74wlmIKmzJo_9tovq-o2K07BJg2IDIqqwCLcBGAs/s640/bird3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I set them into a region of desert where I had seen tons of other quail families.&nbsp; I don't know if they were old enough to make it, but no doubt they had a better shot than down in a cement storm drain.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hOcsI6Z7DA0/WWZRBl-Yw6I/AAAAAAAAPnQ/-A2knAf00NsOcHXYj8ld9mAZcf_5_hFmgCLcBGAs/s1600/bird4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hOcsI6Z7DA0/WWZRBl-Yw6I/AAAAAAAAPnQ/-A2knAf00NsOcHXYj8ld9mAZcf_5_hFmgCLcBGAs/s640/bird4.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>Readers, do you have a favorite bird?Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-89033487836558785902017-07-26T05:53:00.000-04:002017-07-26T05:53:22.258-04:00A Surprise Trip to TucsonPaul's parents live in Tucson, Arizona, and were kind enough to host us for a visit a few weeks ago.&nbsp; We did not tell the boys.&nbsp; We woke them up at 5:30 and told them we were headed to Atlanta.&nbsp; Boy were they surprised when we pulled in to the Roanoke airport.&nbsp; Cort and Reid had never flown before.&nbsp; Once we got to Atlanta, they eventually learned we were catching another flight.&nbsp; People in the airport were so amused to hear them talking (loudly) about how they didn't know where we were going.&nbsp; They sure were thrilled to find out we were headed to Tucson.&nbsp; Here is our first picture there, taken in the backyard of my in-laws (is that a killer view they have or what?).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ualuXfjw3xY/WWZCwBS1Y1I/AAAAAAAAPmU/AKJq3xpx7eQPuzE0yN6RW7INkN6ikeh8ACLcBGAs/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ualuXfjw3xY/WWZCwBS1Y1I/AAAAAAAAPmU/AKJq3xpx7eQPuzE0yN6RW7INkN6ikeh8ACLcBGAs/s640/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Because it was so hot there (the hottest day reached 113*), we tried to stay on Eastern time so we could get going early enough to beat the heat of the day.&nbsp; Having gone to college in Texas and spent some time traveling out west, some part of my brain remembered the high, dry heat, and embraced it.&nbsp; In a way it felt like coming home - I hadn't realized how much I'd missed the American southwest.<br /><br />A typical day started with me waking up via internal alarm at 4:30 and heading out the door for a run.&nbsp; Here's a picture Paul took of an amazing 9 mile&nbsp;run I did in the desert (Paul biked with me while I ran, for safety reasons).&nbsp; We did not see a soul.&nbsp; It was like we were completely alone.&nbsp; We did see lots of jackrabbits, though.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KlHp9Yzx1Lw/WWZDhKxxbbI/AAAAAAAAPmY/vplh8O7vdNQJNFYelxZWCcZWelPaLiPQgCLcBGAs/s1600/desertrun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="814" data-original-width="1364" height="380" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KlHp9Yzx1Lw/WWZDhKxxbbI/AAAAAAAAPmY/vplh8O7vdNQJNFYelxZWCcZWelPaLiPQgCLcBGAs/s640/desertrun.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Afterwards we would go change and clean up and grab breakfast.&nbsp; Then out the door (usually by 7) for adventure.&nbsp; The first day we took the boys hiking in Honeybee Canyon.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nb9dXiMTfQw/WWZDxk_XqFI/AAAAAAAAPmc/MHshWJcKeDQ2-LV08nK8PGkulW7lNwU8wCLcBGAs/s1600/1c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nb9dXiMTfQw/WWZDxk_XqFI/AAAAAAAAPmc/MHshWJcKeDQ2-LV08nK8PGkulW7lNwU8wCLcBGAs/s640/1c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>I felt so lucky to be there, looking at the desert terrain, walking through canyons.&nbsp; I would breathe in the hot dry air and just sigh in overwhelming amazement.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TI08RkizBT0/WWZEF-A319I/AAAAAAAAPmg/m5oPYYuyTGwwn9lm_XYXFyBpAIrIP3oNACLcBGAs/s1600/1d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="941" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TI08RkizBT0/WWZEF-A319I/AAAAAAAAPmg/m5oPYYuyTGwwn9lm_XYXFyBpAIrIP3oNACLcBGAs/s640/1d.jpg" width="376" /></a></div>In addition to jackrabbits, we saw javalina, a bobcat (their bobcats are SO much bigger than the ones we have in Virginia), cottontail rabbits, and heard the coyotes.&nbsp; The birds are plentiful as well, and I'll be devoting an entire post to them.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4ucJckjqwTM/WWZEhwbAHKI/AAAAAAAAPmk/D9EOgEMXt58qWpX0qqfDw5-r7ug_5ljLgCLcBGAs/s1600/1e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4ucJckjqwTM/WWZEhwbAHKI/AAAAAAAAPmk/D9EOgEMXt58qWpX0qqfDw5-r7ug_5ljLgCLcBGAs/s640/1e.jpg" width="432" /></a></div>The boys struggled a little more than the adults with the heat, but we kept them covered in sunscreen with hats and sunglasses for much of the trip.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QjtauWDAhxU/WWZE2H8FFtI/AAAAAAAAPmo/Qw4WlxMK2_AA7FcpW_Onp57jxFAlHT1oACLcBGAs/s1600/1f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QjtauWDAhxU/WWZE2H8FFtI/AAAAAAAAPmo/Qw4WlxMK2_AA7FcpW_Onp57jxFAlHT1oACLcBGAs/s640/1f.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>From my perspective, it was hard to&nbsp;worry about the heat when I was surrounded by so much beauty.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-97rmzd2zJ8U/WWZFWZj-ffI/AAAAAAAAPmw/gCiaBax8nqcYW0vPfapLCf1eG--FehfEwCLcBGAs/s1600/1g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-97rmzd2zJ8U/WWZFWZj-ffI/AAAAAAAAPmw/gCiaBax8nqcYW0vPfapLCf1eG--FehfEwCLcBGAs/s640/1g.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br />What a wonderful way to start the day.&nbsp; In the afternoons, the boys would cool off at the pool.&nbsp; I think they would've been happy to just stay at the pool all day, every day.&nbsp; I have more posts coming from our trip, so stay tuned! <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jk0rT6mc9Zo/WWZFWU5iB9I/AAAAAAAAPms/1HBBfFA1XKsfAuohcklA757t1EHLtAKUwCLcBGAs/s1600/1h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jk0rT6mc9Zo/WWZFWU5iB9I/AAAAAAAAPms/1HBBfFA1XKsfAuohcklA757t1EHLtAKUwCLcBGAs/s640/1h.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Readers, have you ever had the opportunity to visit the American Southwest?Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-2784935637172227612017-07-19T05:04:00.000-04:002017-07-19T05:04:01.740-04:00A Father's Day HikeLast month I saw where a new hiking trail had been formed not far from us, so we decided to give it a shot on Father's day.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2Yxm-Jk8hK0/WUqngxK4dLI/AAAAAAAAPlA/kdNgqAVUvFUyjy1bEsi0y_0MoFnsOdavwCLcBGAs/s1600/hike1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1154" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2Yxm-Jk8hK0/WUqngxK4dLI/AAAAAAAAPlA/kdNgqAVUvFUyjy1bEsi0y_0MoFnsOdavwCLcBGAs/s640/hike1.jpg" width="460" /></a></div>&nbsp;The trail had lots of white dashes painted on trees, but there were times when it wasn't quite clear which way to go, and we did end up doing one loop twice by accident.&nbsp; There were so many berries teasing us - not quite ripe yet.<br /><br />Our favorite part was an old cemetery, which is located just off the trail.&nbsp; I later learned this is the Boone-Hardy cemetery.&nbsp; It went from very primitive stones:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RwTQGnkL_jc/WUqnhbJ6QiI/AAAAAAAAPlE/g3jHO6JOnZoCOkHC11vkVjf_9NC1xchmgCLcBGAs/s1600/hike2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RwTQGnkL_jc/WUqnhbJ6QiI/AAAAAAAAPlE/g3jHO6JOnZoCOkHC11vkVjf_9NC1xchmgCLcBGAs/s640/hike2.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br />To slightly less primitive (most of the stones were from the 1800s, although there were a number with no markings):<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XpDn2s4AIqg/WUqnhew4c2I/AAAAAAAAPlI/j5yqpPjcOsIObGd-EbqfN8s1irSf9v-OQCLcBGAs/s1600/hike3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XpDn2s4AIqg/WUqnhew4c2I/AAAAAAAAPlI/j5yqpPjcOsIObGd-EbqfN8s1irSf9v-OQCLcBGAs/s640/hike3.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br />To (in comparison) more ornately carved stones:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yklVmtgtTYM/WUqniIl0G4I/AAAAAAAAPlM/ZVbKBY-ZseI13FEkMpomVOlwbK7Mid_PACLcBGAs/s1600/hike4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yklVmtgtTYM/WUqniIl0G4I/AAAAAAAAPlM/ZVbKBY-ZseI13FEkMpomVOlwbK7Mid_PACLcBGAs/s640/hike4.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br />The fence was fallen in most parts, and we found the old gate propped against a tree.&nbsp; In google, I found that the town is hoping to restore this cemetery as an area of historic interest.&nbsp; I hope that will happen.&nbsp; But it was an interesting place deep in the woods.&nbsp; <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O7EufQXYUwk/WUqniyNCCaI/AAAAAAAAPlQ/e_zmA_63Zds0coO6NAxbnN-0PMpfIBrDQCLcBGAs/s1600/hike5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O7EufQXYUwk/WUqniyNCCaI/AAAAAAAAPlQ/e_zmA_63Zds0coO6NAxbnN-0PMpfIBrDQCLcBGAs/s640/hike5.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>The trail doesn't have a name yet, but perhaps if more people hike it, it will shape up and earn a name.Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-85256960446381013682017-07-12T05:58:00.000-04:002017-07-12T05:58:02.805-04:00Bluegrass and BrewsLast month we decided to take the boys to hear a friend's band play bluegrass music at a local brewery.&nbsp; I had been to a flea market the day before and found a bunch of inexpensive games, so I brought them along to keep the boys busy.&nbsp; I figured the more busy they were, the longer we would get to stay.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4qBeOau9ofE/WUHMlmZQBRI/AAAAAAAAPkg/_7ymT9hiub4VjsNZaFeqffLWlaH4loeLwCLcBGAs/s1600/chaos2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4qBeOau9ofE/WUHMlmZQBRI/AAAAAAAAPkg/_7ymT9hiub4VjsNZaFeqffLWlaH4loeLwCLcBGAs/s640/chaos2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>&nbsp;One of the things I picked up at the flea market (for $1.50) was this stacking cups set.&nbsp; It came with a mat and timer, as well as a dvd to show the sequence.&nbsp; I spent the next three days refereeing fights between the three boys, who all wanted to use it at the same time.&nbsp; They time themselves and started a wipe erase board with their personal records.&nbsp; At the brewery, every kid in the place gravitated over to check out the stacking cups.&nbsp; The boys were good about sharing with the other kids, and teaching them how to do the stacking sequence.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XZLnmUeJF30/WUHMlQjdGyI/AAAAAAAAPkc/XUh2I-eebCEZfDcaXn2OrP8Wdrp7-fskQCLcBGAs/s1600/chaos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XZLnmUeJF30/WUHMlQjdGyI/AAAAAAAAPkc/XUh2I-eebCEZfDcaXn2OrP8Wdrp7-fskQCLcBGAs/s640/chaos.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We also brought Blockus and Qbitz.&nbsp; both of these are thinking games.&nbsp; The boys were really content to do these activities and listen to bluegrass.&nbsp; It was a successful evening, and I know next time I'll be bringing our bag of games!&nbsp; <br /><br />Readers, do you have a favorite board game?Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-14224287980767938592017-07-05T05:00:00.000-04:002017-07-05T05:00:14.825-04:00Bathroom HumorSometimes I can't help but&nbsp;find amusement&nbsp;when people get creative in public bathrooms.&nbsp; In May we went to the Harry Potter festival in Roanoke.&nbsp; This was the first year.&nbsp; I was amused when I went to the bathroom in Ravenclaw.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3KdJ8TdRwG8/WUFq_-Lv0fI/AAAAAAAAPkI/oVh_nRhM0WcgMVMhbIsDVJAt-OJxK5B-QCLcBGAs/s1600/b2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3KdJ8TdRwG8/WUFq_-Lv0fI/AAAAAAAAPkI/oVh_nRhM0WcgMVMhbIsDVJAt-OJxK5B-QCLcBGAs/s640/b2.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of course, no Hogwarts bathroom would be complete without Moaning Myrtle...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SFOLmAAohN4/WUFrD7smGsI/AAAAAAAAPkM/DyjmbM3IfFMHzj-ox2xS2gKaVlD0J46DACLcBGAs/s1600/b3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1102" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SFOLmAAohN4/WUFrD7smGsI/AAAAAAAAPkM/DyjmbM3IfFMHzj-ox2xS2gKaVlD0J46DACLcBGAs/s640/b3.jpg" width="440" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">﻿</div><br />Then in June, we went to hear the band of a friend play at Chaos Mountain Brewery.&nbsp; They displayed some bathroom humor as well:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PQnG1oko6Tc/WUFrEGY2iaI/AAAAAAAAPkQ/Q2NELyKEzWAwELjuCkhtURkhZbaqZVr8ACLcBGAs/s1600/b1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="962" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PQnG1oko6Tc/WUFrEGY2iaI/AAAAAAAAPkQ/Q2NELyKEzWAwELjuCkhtURkhZbaqZVr8ACLcBGAs/s640/b1.jpg" width="384" /></a></div><br />How about you readers?&nbsp; Have you seen anything funny in the bathroom lately?&nbsp; Is that a loaded question?<br /><br />Hope everyone had a great July 4th!&nbsp; Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-16313301563385970272017-06-28T05:55:00.000-04:002017-06-28T05:55:15.535-04:00Gardening 2017May was very rainy here.&nbsp; So rainy I could not get into my garden for weeks.&nbsp; I would sink six inches in the mud.&nbsp; Plus it developed an underground stream running through the middle.&nbsp; I tried planting some seeds during that time, but they didn't come up.&nbsp; However, plants that I put in during April are doing well.&nbsp; <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sVwf2A55wFY/WUFp8Kc7V7I/AAAAAAAAPkA/t5U3XRwgE70UEg2yNWCDCNzyhTKToe3hwCLcBGAs/s1600/June2017%2BGarden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1600" height="338" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sVwf2A55wFY/WUFp8Kc7V7I/AAAAAAAAPkA/t5U3XRwgE70UEg2yNWCDCNzyhTKToe3hwCLcBGAs/s640/June2017%2BGarden.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />In another section I&nbsp;replanted beans, kale, and a few other things that never came up.&nbsp; I also have a number of tomatoes and peppers going.&nbsp; Plus herbs from last year - lavender, comfrey, lemon balm, mint.&nbsp; <br /><br />So far, we have only eaten lettuce, swiss chard, and turnips.&nbsp; Hopefully now that it isn't so rainy, my garden will start to perform better.&nbsp; I ordered some peanuts and plan to plant those as well.<br /><br />Readers, do you have a garden this year?Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-33264206235194363442017-06-21T05:08:00.000-04:002017-06-21T05:08:27.824-04:00King's DominionTo kick off the summer and celebrate the successful end of 2nd grade x 2 + 4th grade, the boys wanted to go to King's Dominion.&nbsp; We left early and arrived shortly after the park opened for the day. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QLlNimVCYsI/WS6-CrGMYZI/AAAAAAAAPjU/PY_ldEEZ0jUYudfpc1CJ9BIFpwp-B508ACLcB/s1600/396441_3266247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QLlNimVCYsI/WS6-CrGMYZI/AAAAAAAAPjU/PY_ldEEZ0jUYudfpc1CJ9BIFpwp-B508ACLcB/s640/396441_3266247.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Cort tried to spike up his hair to be taller for some of the scarier rides, but alas, he didn't fool the measurers.&nbsp; He was still able to ride some milder thrill rides, like the Ricochet, the Avalanche&nbsp;and what used to be the Scooby Doo (which was my first roller coaster, when I was about 13). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-baYS2geQZYo/WS6-fsRPReI/AAAAAAAAPjY/Q-Ztk_RgU-o2Kx8TgIC4l7XXvNc2NrVMQCLcB/s1600/396441_3265485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-baYS2geQZYo/WS6-fsRPReI/AAAAAAAAPjY/Q-Ztk_RgU-o2Kx8TgIC4l7XXvNc2NrVMQCLcB/s640/396441_3265485.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div>Pierce has been trying to learn French through an app called Duolingo, so he wanted to go up in the Eiffel tower replica.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MC1hTDbsSvA/WS6-uy3uClI/AAAAAAAAPjc/dH07zbedf-0l0i_v7Wjg5nmRaWy2YQBLACLcB/s1600/eiffel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MC1hTDbsSvA/WS6-uy3uClI/AAAAAAAAPjc/dH07zbedf-0l0i_v7Wjg5nmRaWy2YQBLACLcB/s640/eiffel.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I can no longer ride the super spinny rides like the Scrambler, so Paul took one for the team and rode the Scrambler over and over (it was Pierce's favorite ride).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RuOc1HZ5VDU/WS6-8dZUayI/AAAAAAAAPjg/dWqM5prQM_YIloe14t5aSViNqZeBMXkugCLcB/s1600/scrambler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RuOc1HZ5VDU/WS6-8dZUayI/AAAAAAAAPjg/dWqM5prQM_YIloe14t5aSViNqZeBMXkugCLcB/s640/scrambler.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Reid turned out to love the roller coasters.&nbsp; He wasn't tall enough ride the most intense three, but he rode all the ones he could (Cort was so jealous - he just needs to grow that last inch to be able to ride the ones Reid rode!).&nbsp; I had a blast riding the Anaconda with Reid, which goes upside down three times and also goes under water.&nbsp; It came out around the time I had season passes to King's Dominion in high school, so it was kind of like returning to an old friend.&nbsp; Over twenty years later!&nbsp; I couldn't stop smiling.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L6SaibV_WXE/WS6_a9GZMxI/AAAAAAAAPjk/3haV-stQTlkJZ9SDzyTXwmuGkJvgqjV-gCLcB/s1600/grizzly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1100" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L6SaibV_WXE/WS6_a9GZMxI/AAAAAAAAPjk/3haV-stQTlkJZ9SDzyTXwmuGkJvgqjV-gCLcB/s640/grizzly.jpg" width="438" /></a></div><div>Here is Reid (yellow shirt) getting ready to go on the Grizzly, his last coaster of the day.&nbsp; It was late and by this time there were no lines anymore.&nbsp; Unfortunately, the boys were exhausted, and the drive home involved a lot of bickering.&nbsp; Then we hit a closure on the interstate due to an overturned tractor trailer.&nbsp; So we sat there, exhausted, staring at the sea of headlights in the dark.&nbsp; It was almost 1:00 am by the time we got home!&nbsp; Overall, though, we had a fabulous day, and the boys can't wait to go back, hopefully a little taller next time.&nbsp; </div><div><br /></div><div>Readers, do you like roller coasters?</div><div><br /></div><br />Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-78404085701707704012017-06-14T05:01:00.000-04:002017-06-14T05:01:01.219-04:00The Not Quite a Complete Disaster Camping TripFive&nbsp;years ago, we took the boys on a day trip&nbsp;to Fairy Stone State Park, and had such an excellent&nbsp;time we thought we'd like to camp there at some point (<a href="http://www.twobearsfarm.com/2012/05/fairy-stone-state-park.html">for fun, here is my first post about Fairy Stone - they were so little!)</a><br /><br />So Friday night we got all our gear packed up and Saturday morning we were out the door around 7 am, to get to the park by 8.&nbsp; We wanted two full days of fun.&nbsp; When I booked our site, there was no chance of rain, but two days later the weather had shifted.&nbsp; We were hoping that the storms would pass quickly, if at all.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oYfNKnqsxYU/WSLrkI0hHTI/AAAAAAAAPik/upPHUzo4Go8T4w98XedpGsaVac5jqy9WACLcB/s1600/1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oYfNKnqsxYU/WSLrkI0hHTI/AAAAAAAAPik/upPHUzo4Go8T4w98XedpGsaVac5jqy9WACLcB/s640/1a.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>&nbsp;Once we were set up, the boys were already complaining they were hungry, so we decided to fix an early lunch.&nbsp; It was supposed to storm in the evening, so we decided to make dinner for lunch and save the sandwiches for storming weather.&nbsp; Sweet potatoes and corn on the cob and hot dogs hit the spot.&nbsp; <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dqkj8ekVdMQ/WSLrkzIGm2I/AAAAAAAAPiw/HRbXTkXbvjsgQgjWJvIhRqyEyYacaBZ2gCLcB/s1600/1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dqkj8ekVdMQ/WSLrkzIGm2I/AAAAAAAAPiw/HRbXTkXbvjsgQgjWJvIhRqyEyYacaBZ2gCLcB/s640/1b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Our roomy REI Kingdom tent.&nbsp; We hadn't used it in rain before, so we were hoping for the best.&nbsp; REI makes high quality gear, in our experience.&nbsp; You can see my comfy camping cot.&nbsp; Paul and I can sleep on the ground, but with plenty of room in the tent, I figure why not bring a cot.&nbsp; <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fMEKl1CNIng/WSLrkMTs2mI/AAAAAAAAPig/x_gFIQRl5Iw29_wEycJ5Q_CBm3nU4zBRACLcB/s1600/1c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fMEKl1CNIng/WSLrkMTs2mI/AAAAAAAAPig/x_gFIQRl5Iw29_wEycJ5Q_CBm3nU4zBRACLcB/s640/1c.jpg" width="402" /></a></div>After lunch we hit the lake.&nbsp; They&nbsp;have a playground for the kids that is so much fun.&nbsp; Luckily, it wasn't too terribly crowded.&nbsp; The boys had a blast.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FpCizwM8V-M/WSLrkrl4HmI/AAAAAAAAPio/TaXeZRqE6LoZR3AKghfG983oXcd48GJIgCLcB/s1600/1d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FpCizwM8V-M/WSLrkrl4HmI/AAAAAAAAPio/TaXeZRqE6LoZR3AKghfG983oXcd48GJIgCLcB/s640/1d.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The water was cool but not too cold to enjoy.&nbsp; I wished I had brought a swimsuit, but at&nbsp;least I remembered the boys'.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AnNGSTXItbg/WSLrkq10FFI/AAAAAAAAPis/jaawjRS2Aq0eJ1h3UvXoldOBDgIv2WVuQCLcB/s1600/1e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="334" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AnNGSTXItbg/WSLrkq10FFI/AAAAAAAAPis/jaawjRS2Aq0eJ1h3UvXoldOBDgIv2WVuQCLcB/s640/1e.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>While the boys were swimming, Paul took our kayak out.&nbsp; The boys each took a turn, too.&nbsp; By the time&nbsp;it was my turn, the first storm was rolling in, so I decided to wait until the next day.&nbsp; <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6OrZUcTFrCM/WSLrlYUTU2I/AAAAAAAAPi4/ymYwywXyRjgedPenvCSHAHW8iAa9G4aswCLcB/s1600/1f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6OrZUcTFrCM/WSLrlYUTU2I/AAAAAAAAPi4/ymYwywXyRjgedPenvCSHAHW8iAa9G4aswCLcB/s640/1f.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>After dinner, we went to look for&nbsp;fairy stones.&nbsp; After all the rain we've had, we found tons and tons of fairy stones!&nbsp; Reid found over 100!&nbsp; Everyone had bulging pockets on the way back to camp (you can see my old post for a chart of how they look).&nbsp; The evening was the perfect time to search, because everyone else seemed to be back at camp for the night.&nbsp; We had the whole place to ourselves.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V5Jt4cdTrco/WSLrle00LcI/AAAAAAAAPi0/Bi4yht6Z3ZIqamyoMrdLGYwD99gN2MOxgCLcB/s1600/1g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V5Jt4cdTrco/WSLrle00LcI/AAAAAAAAPi0/Bi4yht6Z3ZIqamyoMrdLGYwD99gN2MOxgCLcB/s640/1g.jpg" width="406" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Reid checks out his fairy stone collection by lantern light that evening.&nbsp; We went to sleep around 9, but then the storms started rolling in.&nbsp; We really got pounded!&nbsp; Over and over again waves of storms rolled through.&nbsp; Thankfully, our tent with rain fly was excellent.&nbsp; Not a single spot got damp.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Unfortunately, Reid woke up around 4 am complaining of stomach pain.&nbsp; Then by 6, Cort was up as well, and started vomiting in the woods behind our tent.&nbsp; Having kids struck down by the stomach flu in the middle of the woods when you have a bunch of gear to pack up is not a good thing.&nbsp; Cort threw up again and again as we rolled up sleeping bags and put away chairs and such.&nbsp; No coffee this morning.&nbsp; It seemed like we would never get everything packed up.&nbsp; </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thank goodness we were only an hour drive away.&nbsp; It was a VERY long hour.&nbsp; We were sad we didn't get our second day of hiking and kayaking and fairy stone hunting.&nbsp; We'd had such a great time the day before.&nbsp; Paul said, "<em>Maybe next time we can just do&nbsp;a day trip again</em>".&nbsp; I have to say - I second that!&nbsp; And hopefully our next overnight camping trip (wherever we go) will&nbsp;be much smoother.&nbsp; ﻿</div>Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-13885843284553017202017-06-07T05:53:00.000-04:002017-06-07T05:53:17.143-04:00Up to SomethingOn Mother's Day, Paul and I had just finished cleaning up dinner when he said, "<em>I think the boys might be up to something".</em>&nbsp; We went to look outside.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dtwaFiz1MaQ/WRmkUuV1MQI/AAAAAAAAPiE/GxboH7gMRx4YuDQ1PlC70BRVaeHznhMQQCLcB/s1600/stretcher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dtwaFiz1MaQ/WRmkUuV1MQI/AAAAAAAAPiE/GxboH7gMRx4YuDQ1PlC70BRVaeHznhMQQCLcB/s640/stretcher.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />They were carrying one another around the place on an old WW2 stretcher that came from my grandparents' garage.&nbsp; Good thing they don't know where my big bandages stash is...<br />Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-16080754179996694522017-05-31T05:36:00.000-04:002017-05-31T05:36:10.519-04:00MindFlexI ordered the boys a game called Mindflex, because one of them was having trouble focusing in school and at home.&nbsp; To play this game, you wear a belt around your head with sensors on your forehead and ears.&nbsp; It responds to brainwaves in the 'focused' zone, similar to an EEG.&nbsp; When the player is focused or concentrating, the game's fan goes on, and the ball lifts into the air.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jd4Vvs6c7ac/WQnNeNDQo3I/AAAAAAAAPhk/uNW69xC7f84m9BmxPi15w-Fu4cIhwyfJwCLcB/s1600/IMG_20170429_151937862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jd4Vvs6c7ac/WQnNeNDQo3I/AAAAAAAAPhk/uNW69xC7f84m9BmxPi15w-Fu4cIhwyfJwCLcB/s640/IMG_20170429_151937862.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>Once you learn how to control your attention, you can manipulate the ball up and down and around in a circle.&nbsp; That's when the real fun starts.&nbsp; You can add obstacles.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Knil09jIdBg/WQnN5__WXcI/AAAAAAAAPho/LcmrpGwB_A49_cwbOByg4W1suKRJRr27ACLcB/s1600/IMG_20170429_194644033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Knil09jIdBg/WQnN5__WXcI/AAAAAAAAPho/LcmrpGwB_A49_cwbOByg4W1suKRJRr27ACLcB/s640/IMG_20170429_194644033.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>My hope is that once it's understood what attention and focus feels like, the boys can turn it on at will, just by changing their thinking patterns in the brain.&nbsp; This is essentially biofeedback.&nbsp; <br /><br />The game is a little pricy, but I think it's a healthy way to help children learn to focus more effectively.&nbsp; And I have to admit - the game is fun for adults too!&nbsp; I suspect it will be popular with my psychology classes too, when we study EEGs and biofeedback.<br /><br />Readers, do you feel like your&nbsp;concentration could use improvement?Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-53389430547835844302017-05-24T05:29:00.000-04:002017-05-24T05:29:04.841-04:00When Birds are JerksThis spring, a little bird decided to build a nest in my clothespin apron, which was hanging on the deck (convenient for grabbing to hang clothes).&nbsp; Everyday, the bird would add twigs, and I would remove them.&nbsp; We went back and forth.&nbsp; Stubborn little feathered friend.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ly-7MuSEjxE/WPeeJ9XjtcI/AAAAAAAAPhA/ie9wNOdKlYs9Bre9v6x5XcZXsZgIntNlgCLcB/s1600/jerkbird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ly-7MuSEjxE/WPeeJ9XjtcI/AAAAAAAAPhA/ie9wNOdKlYs9Bre9v6x5XcZXsZgIntNlgCLcB/s640/jerkbird.jpg" width="580" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That is, until I got really busy.&nbsp; And forgot to check for a couple of days.&nbsp; After which, I found this.&nbsp; Not only is the nest complete - on top of all my clothespins - but now the bird is sitting there all day.&nbsp; Probably on some eggs.&nbsp; Look how SMUG this bird looks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I guess I won't be hanging out the laundry any time soon...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Nicely played, bird.&nbsp; You win.﻿</div>Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-40252235455992460782017-05-17T05:22:00.000-04:002017-05-17T05:22:14.255-04:00Butternut, Moths, and Peep S'moresGosh I love Spring.&nbsp; Temps in the 70s, everything in bloom and green.&nbsp; The promise of new life, new gardening.&nbsp; Here's a picture of the twins on Easter, waiting to make s'mores out of Peeps. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4xna4n9P4Zc/WPebsWsaQfI/AAAAAAAAPgs/6lLPlOiBz_M3e7Kl0yra61WAxwsEsaSPgCLcB/s1600/smores.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4xna4n9P4Zc/WPebsWsaQfI/AAAAAAAAPgs/6lLPlOiBz_M3e7Kl0yra61WAxwsEsaSPgCLcB/s640/smores.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />After the suggestion of one of my blog readers (who are always teaching me wonderful things, and giving me new ideas), I canned the butternut squash I had left from last fall, before it could start to go bad.&nbsp; When canning squash, you have to cube it, and you must use a pressure canner.&nbsp; It was a lot of work to peel and cube so much butternut in one go, but now all I have to do is open a jar!&nbsp; I plan to use it a lot in soups or rice bowls.&nbsp; You can see my garden corral in the background of this picture.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ljYiOmYLDYE/WPebyzfgZWI/AAAAAAAAPg0/Cfi5ItBHJvQhZNQ3GERJvmdEia-tD0dhQCLcB/s1600/butternut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ljYiOmYLDYE/WPebyzfgZWI/AAAAAAAAPg0/Cfi5ItBHJvQhZNQ3GERJvmdEia-tD0dhQCLcB/s640/butternut.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Another sign of spring?&nbsp; All the butterflies and bees.&nbsp; On a recent run, I discovered this rather unusual moth.&nbsp; I don't carry a camera or phone when I run on our trails, so I went back and found it later.&nbsp; I loved it's creamy yellow coloring and brown stripe.&nbsp; According to google, this seems to be a swallowtail moth.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WRrH-ESkojg/WPebyw6U6eI/AAAAAAAAPgw/nz6BcfigzfU5iICkw2Gp9-DlbVGwbIIVACLcB/s1600/moth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WRrH-ESkojg/WPebyw6U6eI/AAAAAAAAPgw/nz6BcfigzfU5iICkw2Gp9-DlbVGwbIIVACLcB/s640/moth.jpg" width="548" /></a></div><br />Readers, what are the small things delighting you this spring?Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-14375339015314364292017-05-10T05:01:00.000-04:002017-05-10T05:01:02.989-04:00Go Fly a KiteWe had three kites from previous beach trips.&nbsp; One breezy day over the boys' Spring Break, we took them down to the large pasture.&nbsp; One was missing a piece.&nbsp; Reid got his stuck in a tree when a breeze jerked it out of his hand.&nbsp; But Cort?&nbsp; Well, Cort had a grand time.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hqp1upfyf9k/WO5PGh1yxKI/AAAAAAAAPgQ/a9ZJPFjWocQcPowZTmW74X5YlCQM5pkngCLcB/s1600/kite1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hqp1upfyf9k/WO5PGh1yxKI/AAAAAAAAPgQ/a9ZJPFjWocQcPowZTmW74X5YlCQM5pkngCLcB/s640/kite1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Behold the joy of Spring!&nbsp; </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tjRYmfyrVlE/WO5PGZwOhHI/AAAAAAAAPgM/ctQxCP800twDVcPqRNVbvZyy_Lrz59_OQCLcB/s1600/kite2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tjRYmfyrVlE/WO5PGZwOhHI/AAAAAAAAPgM/ctQxCP800twDVcPqRNVbvZyy_Lrz59_OQCLcB/s640/kite2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Readers, when did you last fly a kite?</div>Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-69120410107354987862017-05-03T05:25:00.000-04:002017-05-03T05:25:13.961-04:00Egg Hunting, Two Bears StyleThis was the first year that none of the boys had Easter egg hunts at school.&nbsp; So we had to do something at home.&nbsp; Rather than just hide a few eggs around the house or in the yard, we decided to get a little more....creative.&nbsp; Paul and I hiked a trail loop on our property, hiding eggs along the way.&nbsp; It's about a 3/4 mile loop.&nbsp; <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eg6vKczcOPg/WO4cHeC15cI/AAAAAAAAPf8/Wmupyisp-RAaaIyHgd9dLooUuLA3N-OKACLcB/s1600/trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eg6vKczcOPg/WO4cHeC15cI/AAAAAAAAPf8/Wmupyisp-RAaaIyHgd9dLooUuLA3N-OKACLcB/s640/trail.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>After we had all the eggs safely hidden, the boys were very excited to go.&nbsp; A neighbor kid showed up right around this time, so we gave him a sack to let him hunt for eggs too (he was so delighted by his fortune in having shown up with perfect timing you would've thought he'd won the lottery).&nbsp; A brief countdown, and they were off!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oe_Np1eIuyY/WO4cHSAIHJI/AAAAAAAAPf4/9XsIO4PaqQITOyx97FPJSNnPfpUa-UqDgCLcB/s1600/PicMonkey%2BCollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oe_Np1eIuyY/WO4cHSAIHJI/AAAAAAAAPf4/9XsIO4PaqQITOyx97FPJSNnPfpUa-UqDgCLcB/s640/PicMonkey%2BCollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>There were eggs in trees and in holes and even on limbs.&nbsp; Eggs that had to be hit down with sticks.&nbsp; Needless to say, this adventure was a HUGE hit with the boys, and they immediately wanted to do it again.&nbsp; I suspect this will become a yearly tradition, assuming the weather is always as beautiful as it was on this particular week.&nbsp; Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-52239097553887904702017-04-26T05:10:00.000-04:002017-04-26T05:10:01.869-04:00Canning Boston Baked BeansRecently my grandmother passed, and she has been my garden confidant and canning champion the past few years.&nbsp; I don't have anything to can from the garden yet, so I decided to try to can a big batch of Boston baked beans instead.&nbsp; It felt like a simple way to keep her close to my heart.&nbsp; When I work in my garden each year, I will certainly be thinking of her.<br /><br />I got two large bags of Great Northern beans and soaked them overnight.&nbsp; Then I drained them and topped off with fresh water.&nbsp; I boiled them until the skins started to split.&nbsp; I layered them in my two hugest baking pans with chopped onions, green peppers, bacon, and a sauce made from molasses, salt, dry mustard, the water I boiled them in,&nbsp;and brown sugar.&nbsp; I baked them for 3 hours at 325.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4z8-NkvLNso/WOUjzfcrO_I/AAAAAAAAPfY/m-CxGlc7INs-DnqkI3KMYMoCptz0bjpNwCLcB/s1600/IMG_20170401_125748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="630" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4z8-NkvLNso/WOUjzfcrO_I/AAAAAAAAPfY/m-CxGlc7INs-DnqkI3KMYMoCptz0bjpNwCLcB/s640/IMG_20170401_125748.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />They had to be processed in the pressure canner for 85 minutes.&nbsp; It was a long day to make these beans, but I ended up with 16 pints (plus a couple of pints I left out that we ate for dinner that night), and they have a great flavor.&nbsp; Plus, baked beans are so inexpensive to make!&nbsp; <br /><br />Readers, are there ways you like to honor the memory of your relatives?Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-48787893117404239742017-04-19T05:59:00.000-04:002017-04-21T14:05:33.911-04:00Rampicante Squash Muffins RecipeRemember last year when I grew so many rampicante squash in my garden?&nbsp; I froze some of it (it's quite similar to zucchini, and you could use zucchini in this recipe if you didn't have rampicante) and decided to make some muffins recently.&nbsp; I'm happy to say that these are kid approved!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZwAAYRqZOo4/WNpqy7QIMnI/AAAAAAAAPe8/4NODOdP391EF0X-I_CnIxUaLWLQVuxf2wCLcB/s1600/rampicante.squash.muffins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZwAAYRqZOo4/WNpqy7QIMnI/AAAAAAAAPe8/4NODOdP391EF0X-I_CnIxUaLWLQVuxf2wCLcB/s640/rampicante.squash.muffins.jpg" width="560" /></a></div><br />You will need:<br />3 eggs<br />1/2 cup canola oil<br />1/2 cup sugar<br />1/2 cup brown sugar<br />3 tsp. maple flavoring (or use vanilla extract if you don't have this)<br />2 cups shredded rampicante squash<br />2 1/2 cups flour<br />1/2 cup wheat germ<br />2 tsp. baking soda<br />2 tsp. salt<br />1 tsp. Cinnamon <br />1/2 tsp. baking powder<br />1 cup extra ingredient&nbsp;(nuts, chopped apricots, raisins or butterscotch chips)<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350*.&nbsp; Spray muffin tin with cooking spray (or lightly grease). Mix eggs, oil, and sugars.&nbsp; Stir in squash.&nbsp; Stir in dry ingredients until just mixed.&nbsp; Fold in your extra ingredient (I used butterscotch chips). <br /><br />Bake for 30 minutes&nbsp;or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.&nbsp; These are fairly healthy, and make a great breakfast-on-the-go muffin (they aren't as crumbly as some muffins).&nbsp; My boys love when I send them as a school snack. <br /><br />Yield = 15 medium muffinsLisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-16024876790009629462017-04-11T05:19:00.000-04:002017-04-11T05:19:03.078-04:00Spring, FinallyI'm glad it's spring and I can move into warmer weather and gardening season.&nbsp; I have a few random reflections on the winter.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kG1-rNFrY6Q/WNL4qA3yjII/AAAAAAAAPeg/NaBYWTvO0bsPnRyErYkKlDqpacN5tyKcwCLcB/s1600/cans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kG1-rNFrY6Q/WNL4qA3yjII/AAAAAAAAPeg/NaBYWTvO0bsPnRyErYkKlDqpacN5tyKcwCLcB/s640/cans.jpg" width="638" /></a></div><br />We went through a lot of the home canned goods this winter.&nbsp; By January we had run through all 12 pints of salsa I canned last summer.&nbsp; This year I need to make more.&nbsp; The boys loved the canned carrots and canned green beans.&nbsp; Only Reid and Paul and I like the beets, but I'm working on the other two.&nbsp; We used up most of the jams and jellies, and discovered that autumn olive is our new favorite jelly - next year I hope to make a lot more.&nbsp; Some of the squash I stored never got used, and I had to throw it away in March when it started to rot.&nbsp; This year I'm planting less squash.<br /><br />Last month St. Patrick's Day resulted in little Leprechaun traps all over the house.&nbsp; The twins were quite devoted in creating these, and they seemed to be around every corner.&nbsp; Alas, they were still empty on March 18th.&nbsp; Maybe next year.<br /><br />I read the boys classics like Hatchet and Old Yeller this winter, when the days were short and the wood stove was going.&nbsp; They loved both books.<br /><br />I put down a layer of hay in the garden for weed control.&nbsp; I look forward to warm hands in the dirt and putting in seeds this month.<br /><br />Readers, do you have any winter reflections?<br />Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-61541944595824771652017-04-04T05:33:00.000-04:002017-04-04T05:33:00.162-04:00How Green Valley Book FairThe boys had a teacher workday recently and we decided to meet my mom and head north for the day to the Green Valley book fair, near Harrisonburg.&nbsp; I've blogged before about this amazing warehouse sale of discounted books.&nbsp; It's a happy place for sure.<br /><br />We all found books we loved.&nbsp; I got several animal memoirs - heartwarming stories about animals who changed their owners' lives for the better in some way.<br /><br />Then we headed to Wright's Dairy-Rite.&nbsp; Pierce has been begging to return there since we went a couple of years ago.&nbsp; This little diner has been an institution in Staunton for many years.<br /><br />Pierce loves it because he gets to phone in our orders from a phone right at the booth.&nbsp; He also likes the jukebox.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JjWOvODzyA8/WMgND4gksMI/AAAAAAAAPeI/vRGpPDciNJ0DuVyOHBRN5nRq0tc1-YxlACLcB/s1600/wrights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JjWOvODzyA8/WMgND4gksMI/AAAAAAAAPeI/vRGpPDciNJ0DuVyOHBRN5nRq0tc1-YxlACLcB/s640/wrights.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I like it because they have chocolate soft serve cones that are dipped in peanut butter shell.&nbsp; That's right, chocolate and peanut butter.&nbsp; My favorite combination!&nbsp; And they are as delicious as you might imagine.&nbsp; <br /><br />It was a fun day, and a good way to see out the dreary winter months.&nbsp; Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-81839951968187513072017-03-28T05:29:00.000-04:002017-03-28T05:29:16.300-04:00OM and OhmsThis year I helped coach an Odyssey of the Mind team so that Cort and Reid could participate.&nbsp; They were on a primary team (first and second graders, judged but not scored).&nbsp; Their problem was called Movin' Out and they had to make a scene that could change when the characters moved from one scene to another.&nbsp; Pierce's team did a problem where they used two famous works of art and looked at them in the past and in the future.&nbsp; <br /><br />It was a long day and the boys' competitions were close together, so I forgot to take pictures!&nbsp; I was just focused on getting people to where they needed to be, and costumes.&nbsp; I only took one picture.&nbsp; At one point we were walking down a hallway by a science classroom (the competition was at a high school) and Pierce stopped me, pointing to a cartoon on the door.&nbsp; <br /><br />"<em>MOM!&nbsp; Look!"</em><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hZvxFWu4dWI/WL7QgpuzaSI/AAAAAAAAPdw/3ngxAOhD4x4erofZNNKzbeq_cbT7F-txgCLcB/s1600/ohms2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hZvxFWu4dWI/WL7QgpuzaSI/AAAAAAAAPdw/3ngxAOhD4x4erofZNNKzbeq_cbT7F-txgCLcB/s640/ohms2.jpg" width="526" /></a></div>I confess, I stood there blinking at this cartoon for a minute, at a complete loss.&nbsp; <br /><br />"<em>MOM! Don't you get it?"</em><br /><br />Me:&nbsp; blink, blink<br /><br />"<em>MOM!&nbsp; Resistance is measured in ohms!&nbsp; That's something I learned studying ham radio.</em>"<br /><br />Me, shaking my head in dismay at my shortfalls:&nbsp; "<em>Ohhhhhh!&nbsp; I get it now! That's cool, Pierce."</em><br /><em></em><br />Pierce's team didn't place this year, and they were disappointed, but they still had a great day.&nbsp; All of the other kids on Pierce's team are headed to middle school next year, so he will have a new team I guess.&nbsp; Cort and Reid loved doing OM and can't wait to be on a secondary team next year.<br /><br />Readers, did you know that resistance is measured in Ohms, or is it just me?Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-70149119151718970092017-03-21T05:44:00.000-04:002017-03-21T05:44:16.493-04:00Treasure HuntingWe have a persimmon tree that self-seeds fairly easily, so we told a neighbor he could come dig up some up the small trees and try to transplant them on his property.&nbsp; When he started digging, he got more than he'd expected.&nbsp; Turns out the hillside where the persimmons are growing was a dump site for the old homestead that used to be on our property.&nbsp; He dug out a number of bottles from under the tree roots.&nbsp; Many were broken (there were a few old boots in there, too), but some where unharmed.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XvtnCUO3gnU/WLWMZGQrYZI/AAAAAAAAPdU/-6R17hJRenUd7iDIeYavjxWUU1v0utr4QCLcB/s1600/bottles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XvtnCUO3gnU/WLWMZGQrYZI/AAAAAAAAPdU/-6R17hJRenUd7iDIeYavjxWUU1v0utr4QCLcB/s640/bottles.jpg" width="434" /></a></div>I have only cleaned up the front center bottle, with the white residue inside.&nbsp; It has Norwich on it, and is an old Pepto Bismal bottle.&nbsp; Once I get time I'll clean up the others and see what Google can tell me about them.&nbsp; Several appear to be liquor bottles, and one at first glance looks like Pepsi to me.<br /><br />Hard to say what else has been&nbsp; buried on our land all these years.&nbsp; Prior to us moving there in 2000, no one had resided in the old (now torn down)&nbsp;house since the mid 70s.&nbsp; Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-30353388464308747032017-03-14T05:21:00.000-04:002017-03-14T05:21:01.006-04:00New Fence LineLast year when we did that overnight backpacking trip with the boys, a big storm blew in and blew a fuse in our electric fence.&nbsp; The horses got out and were running all over, and no one could reach us because we were in a region where there was no cell phone service.&nbsp; Once we found out, we drove the two hours home, and I was terrified for the horses the whole way.&nbsp; I already knew that Phoenix was limping.&nbsp; Luckily, I was able to get them home (they were about a mile away from our house, up a mountain) and Phoenix's injury, while painful, was treatable.&nbsp; I&nbsp;NEVER want that to happen again.&nbsp; So I've been saving every cent I get from Christmas or selling stuff online towards building at least one very secure pasture.&nbsp; With no electric!&nbsp; That means three board fencing for most of it.&nbsp; With the cost of wood right now, it's a pricy endeavor.<br /><br />We've been working on this stretch since Christmas.&nbsp; We hit a number of obstacles, including a broken nail gun, a post hole digger that didn't want to run, and post holes that dipped into an underground stream and were filling with water.&nbsp; Not to mention all the rocks we had to dig through!&nbsp; Happily, we now have a big stretch done.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tW3MhgxjyW0/WKr5zbJ_t0I/AAAAAAAAPc0/2fHTtbTLa6o751MxpfvWa6Dh7JFvorOOACLcB/s1600/fence2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tW3MhgxjyW0/WKr5zbJ_t0I/AAAAAAAAPc0/2fHTtbTLa6o751MxpfvWa6Dh7JFvorOOACLcB/s640/fence2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />This pasture already has wood fencing on two other sides.&nbsp; So now three sides&nbsp;are fenced with wood.&nbsp; We only have the back stretch left.&nbsp; Because the final side is by a river (and may need adjustments as a result), and cannot be seen from the road, I will probably try to use high tensile fence wire with a mixture of wood posts and t-posts.&nbsp; It should go in easier than the wood (with having to dig less holes) and hopefully will be cheaper.&nbsp; After that's done, I will start saving again - I still have a couple of other stretches of wood fencing I want to do.&nbsp; I do love seeing the fence lines once they're done!Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-68497027001542509112017-03-07T05:24:00.000-05:002017-03-07T05:24:33.966-05:00Cort and Reid Make Great PyramidsIf you have a truly excellent memory, you may recall when Pierce made a pyramid from Legos for Social Studies in second grade.&nbsp; Cort and Reid have reached that point in their studies.&nbsp; Both of them were eager to start their pyramid project.&nbsp; The only guideline was that it had to have a square base and four sides.&nbsp; I think they each wanted to do something unique.<br /><br />Reid decided to work with Sculpey clay.&nbsp; He created a little scene with two pyramids, including lots of pots and treasure.&nbsp; He even made the Nile river.&nbsp; We baked it in the oven and then after it cooled he painted it with acrylic paints.&nbsp; On the&nbsp;base piece&nbsp;he painted Elmers glue and then sprinkled sand from his sand box over it.&nbsp; He spent a long&nbsp;Saturday creating his scene to perfection.&nbsp; <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n6IE7_QB-fo/WKGytDjNWjI/AAAAAAAAPcU/WQbRD2wspLIxnmimWxz97DSn_HTPqD_LgCLcB/s1600/PyReid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n6IE7_QB-fo/WKGytDjNWjI/AAAAAAAAPcU/WQbRD2wspLIxnmimWxz97DSn_HTPqD_LgCLcB/s640/PyReid.jpg" width="620" /></a></div><br />Cort is really into rocks and gems, so he decided to build his pyramid from cardboard and then hot glue "gems" to it.&nbsp; He also glued a layer of bright patterned paper before putting on the gems (which I got from the dollar store).&nbsp; He made a pyramid that really POPS.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xSkYfX0mSx0/WKGzOxzkItI/AAAAAAAAPcY/Jhfftt13ezY7AZWunEUPtZ43t_GZ8JMFgCLcB/s1600/PyCort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="602" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xSkYfX0mSx0/WKGzOxzkItI/AAAAAAAAPcY/Jhfftt13ezY7AZWunEUPtZ43t_GZ8JMFgCLcB/s640/PyCort.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />They were both really pleased with the results, and couldn't wait to present them in school.&nbsp; <br />Readers, how would you make a pyramid?Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356235511941477035.post-47764835180396117602017-02-27T05:50:00.000-05:002017-02-27T05:50:01.689-05:00The HAM Radio OperatorLast fall, Pierce got hooked on Morse code.&nbsp; He'd memorized it and was going around 'speaking' in Morse code.&nbsp; I mentioned (casually - I had no idea where this was going to lead at the time) that HAM radio operators used Morse code sometimes.&nbsp; Next thing I knew I was having to tell Pierce every bit my (very limited) knowledge of HAM radio.&nbsp; <br /><br />Pierce started studying for his license exam (issued by the FCC) in December.&nbsp; He used a computer program that the local amateur radio club put on my laptop for him.&nbsp; For Christmas, he got a small, handheld portable HAM radio.&nbsp; He was able to listen in but wouldn't be able to talk on it until he passed his exam.<br /><br />In January he sat for the test, which was offered at the Red Cross in Roanoke.&nbsp; He was so excited when he passed at the technician level.&nbsp; He is hoping to take the general level test at some point in the future.&nbsp; But for now, he can finally talk on his radio.&nbsp; He went to a local field day in January, where he got to try to make contact with people all over the nation.&nbsp; He talked to people in places like Kansas and Tennessee.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZ0k3htSbb8/WJiMjFCk0AI/AAAAAAAAPb4/2ws-2bKt9vIrSGDqY8KKkbFG0CUSHnyyACLcB/s1600/ham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZ0k3htSbb8/WJiMjFCk0AI/AAAAAAAAPb4/2ws-2bKt9vIrSGDqY8KKkbFG0CUSHnyyACLcB/s640/ham.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>It's kind of funny to look over and see your kid (who still likes to wear footie pjs) reading magazines on HAM radio for fun.&nbsp; I think it's the sort of hobby that he'll be able to enjoy for many years to come.&nbsp; Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.com25